Tooth and Claw
by TonyLogan
Summary: A small band of Blood Angels are stranded on a Death World, but there may be other survivors.
1. Chapter 1

**Tooth And Claw**

 **ANGELS**

"Hold on," Sergeant Ariston yelled, as he strapped himself into the final seat.

The shockwave of the two imploding vessels pummeled the Blood Angel's drop pod hard enough to knock out it's guidance system. Though lucky to be alive, now the challenge was to stay that way through the atmosphere descent. Lights flickered as loud thuds pounded the outside hull.

"What are we hitting in the upper atmosphere, Sergeant," Silvantos asked.

"Not sure. We are flying blind. It is not anti aircraft rounds, the fast scan of the planet showed no advanced tech. Once we lost the Gellar field, we had to leave the warp," Arturo said.

"We will find out when we make planetfall, " Sergeant Ariston said.

A few moments later, the whole pod shuttered as the damaged retro thrusters fought gravity. The little craft came crashed to a halt. Two of the seats ripped free and the Blood Angel's in them rattled around the inside. Once the vehicle stopped, four of the five doors exploded open. The marines that remained strapped in held onto the battle brothers chairs until they could escape their bindings.

The pod had crash landed on the side of a huge temple structure. Tilted forty five degrees to the side, the Angels blew their bindings and climbed to the top of the huge ziggurat.

"Do you think any of the boarding traitors made it out in time," Arturo asked.

"We barely did, so highly doubtful," The Sergeant replied.

"By the Emperor! I know what we were hitting…," Silvantos said pointing to the sky.

All five battle brothers stared up into the atmosphere as gigantic gas-filled spore pods floated overhead.

Instinctively, Phane aimed his bolter to fire upon them, but Sergeant Ariston held his hand out. "Hold fire, Phane. We need to assess the area. We do not now what your bolter fire sound would bring onto us."

Silvantos pointed off to the horizon. A large hormagaunt brood slipped through one shrub line and dove into another.

A loud screeching noise broke the silence as a thunderclap erupted over the area. Another drop pod had escaped the explosion. The battle brothers threw their fists in the air to salute the other survivors. The second Blood Angel pod left a thick smoke tail all the way down. Two of the retro thrusters on the bottom of the pod were apparently damaged. The spiraling pod slammed hard onto a dead tyranid spire, knocking the top off, in a cloud of spores.

"Let us move, Brothers," Silvantos said.

"Wait till the doors blow. We need to make sure they survived that fall before we give up our position," Sergeant Ariston said.

The doors exploded off all sides and eight World Eaters all fell three stories to the ground.

"World Eaters! They stole one of our pods, dooming more of our brethren," Aurturo shouted.

Of the eight that made planet fall, only six survived the crash. Those six quickly rose and performed a weapons check. One of the Khorne Berzerkers swung his weapons wildly in the air, before being torn in half by an invisible creature. The remaining five jumped on top of the translucent beast, cutting it to shreds before it retreated. Each covered in purple ichor, they moved to higher ground at a nearby hill.

 **EATERS**

Skullkeeper removed his left vambrace as it sizzled in overcast daylight. Acrid fumes pierced the champion's nose as the foul purple fluid ate through the crimson ceramite. He tore the bottom jaw and inner mouth off the decapitated lictor before attaching it to his waist. He had dealings with The Great Devourer's children before and knew better than to ever believe one was truly dead. Skullkeeper knew they were spending borrowed time. His choice was clear: collect as many skulls for the Blood God before falling to the xenos' numbers. Would he go for numbers or most challenging?

A Carnifex head would make quite an offering for the Lord of Rage. Keeping his group calm long enough to perform such a feat, that would be the trial. Considering one of them was Kraggar the Bloodbather, it might prove impossible. His arms remained chained for the moment, despite his occasional writhing. This lost berserker was found on a prison planet in the Devlar sector. The only survivor. When they found him, he was resting on a three story pile of skulls, unconscious from exhaustion, having killed all two hundred thousand inhabitants of the planet.

Syrakus stomped toward Skullkeeper, his terminator armor an impervious, yet noisy relic.

"Movement on the left flank, slow, steady, massive numbers." The modulated voice seeped from the tusked helmut.

"Be ready for countercharge, Brothers," The Champion said, activating his power halberd.

The unit all faced the tall shrubs, waiting for the attack. Rustling noises were heard from different parts of the filage. Kraggar shifted wildly in his adamantium chains, muffled screams escaped his gag while Skullkeeper kept his thumb on the release rune on his belt. Verrik drug the lost berserker away from the battle line.

A moment later, a massive brood of hormagaunts burst out from the shrubs. Smaller than a marine but faster than a Rhino at full speed, bounding on their powerful hind limbs. An unending sea of razor teeth and wicked scythes were unleashed on impact.

Every swing of the Champion's halberd brought down multiple beasts, momentarily calming the searing ache in his skull. Syrakus punched the approaching gaunts, shattering their chitin into chunky sludge with his powerful ceramite fists. He saved his lightning claws for more worthy foes. Mulok waded into the melee with his twin chain axes, bisecting neck after neck as he spun deeper into the swarm. Knalid saw a hormagaunt leap into the air, aiming for Mulok's back. He shoulder blocked the creature- mid air, crushing it's throat with his knee. On the landing, he decapitated the gaunt with a chain axe and threw it into his growing pile.

 **ANGELS**

Sergeant Ariston's breathing intensified as he watched the swirling melee. He studied how the blood cultists struck and moved.

 _The traitors still used strategy?_

"They are not fighting like the enraged lunatics we have seen before," Silvantos said.

"No. They, for the most part, are still measured. Still able to comprise plans," Sergeant Ariston said.

"Just let me know when it is our turn, our fallen brothers need retribution," Phane said stabbing his combat knife into the ground.

"In due time. For now we watch. There is no advantage in fighting xenos _and_ the traitors simultaneously. They are faring poorly against just the xenos," Sergeant Ariston said pointing to the Chaos terminator collapsing under the wall of gaunts. "And put your helmet on Phane!"

Kheldon, crouched and read his auspex. "There is a faint energy signature forty clicks in that direction, Sir. I think we could-"

A sudden beep rang out on his auspex. Kheldon rolled to the right and sweep kicked behind himself. The near invisible lictor fell onto its back. It recovered instantly, spun to it's side and spat vicious hooks from it's chest into Kheldon, pulling him closer. Kheldon scrambled for his flamer while the huge lictor kicked, struggling to it's hooved feet. It's camouflaged chitin vibrantly changing colors as it struggled.

Phane tackled the lictor off the side of the ziggurat, dragging the attached Kheldon with them. Phane stabbed the beast over and over as they rolled. The lictor struck the marine's ceramite with its scything talons. This close, the creature's barbed scythes didn't have the leverage to pierce the armor, and Phane's head proved too difficult a target for the wounded beast's aim. Kheldon rose to his feet and aimed his flamer, but couldn't hit the lictor without killing his helmetless battle brother. He grunted and threw down his flamer, drew his bolt pistol, and charged in. Now closer, he put two rounds into the larger beast's flank. The lictor shimmered clear, stepped back and stabbed his long mantis-like claw through Phane's chest. Keldon blasted more bolter rounds at the translucent outline. His last round hit the creature, spraying ichor, revealing more of the lictor's form. It snatched Kheldon, lifted him in the air with it's rending claws, both finding holds to grip.

A massive stream of prometheum fire blasted the Tyranid off the temple, and sent the charred pieces raining down the stone steps. Phane laid on the stairs, breathing heavily, flamer in one hand, the other trying to wrench the broken mantis-like talon from his chest.

Kheldon broke the charred clawed hands from his armor and rushed to Phane, "Rest Brother."

Phane coughed up blood. "I am fine. It is just a lung, and maybe a heart."

"Be quiet," Kheldon said, digging out the claw from the marines chest with a combat knife.

Phane whinced in pain while the other marines ran down the stairs.

"Will he live?" Sergeant Ariston asked.

"Now that the claw is out, the poison sacs will not continue flooding his system, I am no apothecary, but he should be fine."

"Brothers, bring him to the top and secure it. And put this marine's helmet on. Weld it on, if you must."

 **EATERS**

The gaunt horde dwindled down to more manageable numbers as the blood cult's chainaxes clogged with chitin and gore. Skullkeeper had collected twenty three for his pile when he remembered something an Iron Warrior told him about when _he_ fought the hive creatures…

"They seem random, but they never are. Not while a brain 'Nid is nearby."

Skullkeeper scanned the area, in their bloodlust, had they scouted the area for potential traps?

He saw two large shadows moving just behind the shrubline and trees.

"Fire into those trees, now!"

The Khornate champion got no response. His men were doing what their god commanded. Skullkeeper was outranked. He spun his Halberd, activated it and charged toward the small forest, just as the two huge shadows burst out of hiding.

Two large bulbous brains floating with tiny withered bodies. Knalid turned and roared, charging next to Skullkeeper. One of the zoanthropes slowly lowered his head and shuttered. A powerful pink blast of psychic energy singed the air and blasted Knalid. The berserker's head and chest evaporated into a red mist as his limbs flopped onto the ground. Skullkeeper paid no heed. He leaped over Knalid and toward the creature. The second Zoanthrope blasted Skullkeeper at close range, halting his charge.

Skullkeeper fell to his knees. Black smoke trailed off his charred armor. His body slumped over itself. The hive creatures floated closer. Skullkeeper's head rose making eye contact with the xenos. Lines of blood leaked from his eyes and nose. He smiled and rose to his feet as his black iron collar burned psychic defiance onto his neck. He lunged forward, hacking the Tyranid psyker into wriggling mush. The other Zoanthrope moved to retreat. Skullkeeper smiled. He hefted his halberd and threw it into the beast's skull. The beast thrashed wildly. The Champion dashed up, and wrenched his power weapon down through the fragile creatures innards. Skullkeeper chucked the two huge heads onto his pile, a vulpine grin painted on his face.

Verrik pulled Syrakus to his feet.

"My pile is the greatest, He bellowed," Mulik screamed beating his chest.

"In quantity, yes. In quality, no," Skullkeeper hissed pointing to the two giant heads on his pile.

Mulik took offense to this and roared to the sky. All the cultists froze when the roar was answered with a louder one off in the distance.

 **ANGELS**

At the top of the temple, Sergeant Ariston wrestled with his anger. Part of him wanted to charge down the hill and annihilate the traitor legion for the loss of his Captain's ship and all his brothers. The other half knew they needed to get off the planet and warn the Imperium of the xenos and chaos filth in this sector or other ships would fall.

"Sir, the area is secure. The traitors did not hear the bolter fire over their skirmish. We still hold the element f surprise," Silvantos said.

"Before the xenos attacked us, I got a power reading ten clicks North, sir," Kheldon said.

"What kind of power reading? Biological," Ariston asked.

"No, sir. This is a fusion core. It is powering something big. If it is a ship..."

"Pull the rounds from the drop pod's storm bolter, we need the ammo. Be ready to leave," Ariston commanded.

The Blood Angels had everything stripped and packed to move when they heard a roar in the distance, followed by slight tremors in the ground. The Angels charged down the side of the temple. Using cover, they moved past the World Eaters. Despite protests from his men, Sergeant Ariston wanted to secure the power source before killing the traitors. The marines moved in an arrow formation with the wounded Phane in front. Reading his auspex to show them the quickest route to the power source.

After a six clicks, Phane stopped and adjusted the auspex's sensitivity.

"Problem, Brother," Silvantos asked.

"Something is moving nearby."

"Another Lictor? Kheldon, ready your flamer!"

"No, sir, it is under us."

The ground shifted slightly as the marines braced. Cracks formed in the rocky ground around them with more rumblings.

The ground tore open. Serpentine beats with long razor scythes for arms leaped out of the pit into melee.

Silvantros immediately fired his plasma pistol into the first beast, evaporating the chest, leaving the rest writing around on the ground until it bled out.

Arturo fired his bolt pistol multiple times at the second creature but missed. The creature pounced on the marine, plunging it's rows of talons into him. Over and over the blades mutilated the battle brother's body. Arturo raised his powerfist, but it was too late. He fell into a heap as the creature bit into his flesh.

Phane screamed and leaped onto the creature's back slamming his chainsword into the serpent's neck until it's head came off.

Sergeant pulled his powersword from his kills chest, cutting it lengthwise in two from its waist. He knew that scream too well and sighed. The Black Rage was bubbling over in Phane. The assault marine had shown signs in the past, but without a chaplain, the sergeant feared he may have to administer the Emperor's Peace.

Another Ravner locked blades with Silvantros, the two hacked and slashed at each other in a furious dance, when Phane charged in. He spun in with a chainsword in one hand and a poweraxe in the other, removing limbs in each swipe. Silvantros stepped back and looked at Ariston. Phane's eyes were wide and his breathing ragged as he slashed and chopped at the raven's dead body.

Kheldon threw perfectly timed prometheum bursts down the burrow, killing any stragglers that attempted the climb.

Phane fell to his hands and knees coughing blood as it also leaked from his chest wound.

Silvantos walked over and leveled his plasma pistol at the marine and looked to the Sergeant.

 **EATERS**

"That was bolter fire, my lord. I heard it for certain that time," Verrik said.

"I heard it too. We aren't alone. Good," The Champion smiled. "Grab Kraggar, lets move."

The small warband dashed toward the noise's direction. Four clicks later they stopped at a large tunnel. Around the hole laid carcasses of dead tyranid shock troops, some still jerked.

The World Eaters inspected the area. They found a few bolt casings and rocks soaked in non-purple blood. Skullkeeper leaned down and wiped some onto his hand. Sniffed it and then licked his finger.

"Deep Arterial blood. Augmented. Definitely Astartes," The Champion said.

"World Eater or Blood Angel," Syrakus amplified voice asked.

"Hard to say, but one of them is dead or dying from the looks of this red soaked ground."

The Traitors began to move doubletime North following tracks the astartes left behind.

Reaching the top of a raised hill, they slowed, dropping Kraggar. He still fought the losing struggle with his chains. Skullkeeper howled into the sky. The sight of the small unit of Blood Angels enraged him. One by one, the nails in each World Eater sent pain surges into their brains, reducing them to foaming madmen. The Angels heard the scream and lined up for the counter-charge. When all present felt tremors pounding under them again. The Blood Angels scanned the area quickly and saw nothing. The Chaos marines continued their full speed run at the astartes.

A nearby hill exploded into the air. Three massive Tyranid Warriors, eight Genestealers, and a Giant war-worn Carnifex moved into the area.

The Genestealers moved with lightning-like bounds toward the Khornate warriors. Mulik charged in lost to the madness of the Blood God. He waded into the stealers dropping two before being torn to shreds by vicious rending claws. Skullkeeper shoved Verrik aside and hit the activation rune on his halberd. The chains withdrew from the Bloodbather. He made a straight run for Skullkeeper. When the Champion spoke, "Me or Genestealers, Kraggar?"

Kraggar spit acid onto the ground in front of Skullkeeper, before charging the Genestealer brood. Skullkeeper and Verrik ran to the fight, while Syrakus pushed his ancient tactical dreadnought armor to it's speed limits.

Kraggar ducked two claw swipes from one of the stealers and decapitated it while punching his combat knife into the pink skull of another creature. Verrik slammed one of the tyranids with his two handed ax, splitting it in two. Another one leaped onto his back, tearing his helmet off. Verrik rolled onto the ground to dislodge the monster, but another one pounced on him.

Skullkeeper ran through one of the genestealers chests in a burst of purple gore. He spun his weapon around removing the head of one of the last two genestealers. Verrik kicked the last one off and stood up. He was bleeding profusely where the tyranid tore his arm off.

Syrakus plunged his right lightning claw through the Tyranid, destroying it.

Skullkeeper pushed the burning blade of his halberd against the ruined shoulder of Verrik, searing the wound shut. The berzerker screamed as the smell of burned flesh filled the air.

 **ANGELS**

Silvantos pointed his plasma pistol at the unsuspecting Phane. Sergeant Ariston gave the fateful nod. This was the third time he had to kill a battle brother because of The Black Rage. Every time it pushed his limits of depression. He lined up the shot and felt the microvibrations build into the superheated plasma bolt, when a nearby explosion forced his shot wide into a miss. Tyranid monsters poured out of a nearby mound and moved to attack both them and the traitors. The three leader beasts moved on the Blood Angels.

Phane roared and charged into battle against the creatures twice his size.

Silvantos smiled. Better for him to die on his feet fighting than shot by a brother astartes.

Kheldon threw flamer blasts at the largest of the three, keeping his close combat bioweapons at bay.

Phane dodged a blast from the warriors deathspitter, the rock melting where the spatter landed. He landed a blow on the creature's ranged weapon with his power axe, ruining it. The warrior hisses and drove both its long talons into Phane's chest, dropping the marine. He swung his chainsword cutting into one of the talons. The other emptied its venom from huge poison sacs at the claws base. Phane's mouth filled with blood, as he drowned and spasmed. A plasma bolt exploded the warrior's head and the rest of the smoking body fell over kicking a few times before dying.

The second Tyranid warrior rushed through the fire and slashed Kheldon's armor. The marine staggered away from the creature and fell onto his back. He quickly inspected his armor. It was breached in a few places, and he bled, but his body had already started sealing the lacerations. Kheldon saw the creature stomp over to his and level its symbiotic weapon at him. He reached onto his belt and pulled the pins from his three frag grenades, jumped to his feet and threw them into the Tyranids face. The creature took a step back and fired its weapon at the marine before the explosion rocketed it backwards. The concussive force threw Kheldon back as well. His ears were ringing and his body ached as he stood up. Then he felt it. Various parts of his body started to itch and then he felt the wormlike monsters tear through his skin and muscle. He screamed in agony before turning his flamer on himself.

The charred warrior righted itself onto it's knees. It was blind and deaf, so it couldn't see or hear the fight. A chainsword bit into its throat and it struggled as it's head was torn off by Silvantros.

Sergeant Ariston threw his power sword's glowing blade against the Tyranid warrior's bone sword's static field again and again. One the near epitome of artificer's craftsmanship the other a billion years worth of tooth and claw evolution and genetic manipulation. The sergeant had to parry the sword, while staying far enough away from its short range claws and dodging its lash whip. It took all of the Astarte's concentration to keep the melee rhythm from killing him. Sparks flashed as the two blades tested each other. The barbed whip swept under and the Sergeant jumped over it and rolled over to his feet in time to parry another blow, from the fierce bonesword.

One missed parry by either meant death.

Silvantos charged in, "For Sanguinus!"

The creature was large enough, that Silvantos could fire his plasma pistol without fear of hitting his sergeant. Two bolt rounds pounded the creature's rock hard chitin. The first destroying one of the warrior's rending claws the second evaporating it's lash whip. The creature hiss in pain and smashed its large tail into the sergeant, sending him reeling. Silvantos began to pull a Krak grenade from his belt when the Warrior brought down it's sword. Reflexively, The marine parried with his chainsword, but only momentarily, as the tyranid sword was charged with enough psychic energy it shattered the chainsword and bit deep into Silvantos' side.

Sergeant Ariston had heard many horrible death screams in his day, it went with the job.

Silvantro used all his primarch's fury to endure the pain of having his soul obliterated, and made no sound as he fell.

Black spots formed over the sergeant's eyes as he blacked out momentarily. When he woke, the Warrior's head was in his lap, it's body torn asunder. The sergeant rolled to his side and puked up a stomach's worth of purple ichor he had drank after killing the beast.

 **EATERS**

All of the Genestealers were dead, but there was no time to collect skulls. The Blood Good would have to wait if he wanted the main prize. A Carnifex skull. The Carnifex was a living engine of death and destruction. Living whole tank battalions in it's wake. As it lumbered forward, heavy chitinous plates rubbed together furiously making a distinct screaming sound, once it was close, it lobbed it bioplasma attack toward the warband. All dodged except, Syrakus. Taking the full force, threw him backwards and slammed him down. The dull grey terminator rose to his feet, the attack melting all the World Eater Crimson off. Syrakus, did a quick systems check, and popped his lightning claws before making the long run towards the behemoth.

Verrik ran full bore at the beast, leaped into the air and brought down his, now, one handed axe, smashed the beast's head chitin. The Carnifex shook his head and snatched up Verrik in it's giant crushing claw and squeezed the bezerker to death. Kraggar became a whirlwind of attacks. He slashed the Carnifex's right claw, it's head, tearing out a eye, it's chest, crushing it exoskeleton, and breaking one of its scything talons in half. The beast stumbled back. Skullkeeper climbed onto the creature's back and rammed his Halberd through it's back. The beast fell flat on it's face. Skullkeeper jumped down to take the beast's head, but he was knocked off balance by Kraggar and missed.

"Back off Kraggar, I don't want to kill you," Skullkeeper said.

"My kill," Kraggar said.

Skullkeeper didn't know Kraggar could speak.

Just then One of the crushing claws smashed Kraggar and sent him flying into Skullkeeper. The two spun head over feet in the air, landing hard twenty feet away. Skullkeeper lifted his head to see the wound Kraggar had done to the creature's eye closed and looked like it never happened.

Skullkeeper shook his head, "Xenos filth. Get off me!" He said pushing Kraggar to the side.

Syrakus plunged his lightning claw into the Carnifex's side. The beast roared as the terminator hit it with the other claw. The beast spun around preternaturally fast, hitting Syrakus with its heavy bone club tail. The terminator armor shattered in the front, and the claws flickered and went cold. The Huge beast dashed over to the berzerker in the broken armor, and stomped him twice, killing him.

Kraggar stood up and said, "This beast is mine," and ran off to fight it again.

Skullkeeper was recovering, so was inclined to let him have it. The champion watched as the Carnifex would attack and miss, and Kraggar would do normally fatal blows to the behemoth and the wounds would heal back up.

"It's a damned stalemate," The Champion said rubbing his head and picking himself up.

He suddenly remembered the Blood Angels and ran past the two warriors, locked in permabattle.

He looked and saw the Blood Angel running toward a ship in the distance. So he picked up his pace.

 **LAST** **ANGEL**

The Valkyrie sat on the edge of the cliff. The damage was mostly superficial to the craft. Dried blood stains coated the inside. The sergeant inspected the craft's engine's and air seals. As far as he could tell the ship would work. With some modifications. Unfortunately, The crew compartment was sized for one of the Astra Militarum, not an Astartes.

Using his power sword, the marine cut through the back of the crew compartment and removed the pilot seat, allowing him access to the pilot controls. He tossed the seat next to the bag of wargear Silvantos had collected from his fallen brethren. If he could get off planet, piloting in space would be easier. The engine whined and chugged as it started up. Black smoke belched from the exhaust at first, but then turned to a more desirable grey. The vehicle's hull shuttered as it raised up in the air. Ariston set the craft to hover so he could check the inside without any further Tyranid interruptions.

The faint red emergency lighting was enough for the marine's enhanced vision to see the inside of the ship. He wanted to pull out all the extra unneeded supplies and throw them out the side doors. The lighter the craft the better.

A loud pop followed by a familiar humming sound echoed from the front of the craft. Ariston turned to see Skullkeeper standing in the doorway, his power halberd glowing. The Marine reached for his bolt pistol, and found it missing. He looked up toward the front of the cabin and saw Skullkeeper kick it out the door along with other wargear the marine had saved.

"It's just us now, Blood Angel. Soon...it will be just me. Your head will please the Blood God," The Champion said with a fanged smile.

The Sergeant pulled out his combat knife and pointed it at the traitor, "It will never be- _just_ _you_ , coward."

The World Eater charged, as his kind always does. Ariston juked at the last second ramming his combat knife into the Champions side as he stepped behind him. The traitors halberd pierced the back of the cabin and stuck into the wall, as the chaos marine reached for the knife.

The Blood Angel slipped his arms under the Champion's in a hug. The traitor yanked the blade from his side and stabbed it at the marine's eye. Ariston arched his whole body back onto itself reverse slamming the Champion onto his head and shoulder's. The Blood Angel recovered first and stood over the dazed Berserker. A barrage of gargoyle bioplasmic fire pelted the side of the craft causing it to shift and rock. The Traitor kicked Ariston's feet out from under him and he rolled out of the side door. Snatching a service cable on the way out. With a heavy tug, the Blood Angel hung from the cable.

He looked down in time to see hormagaunts and genestealers leaping up at him from below. Each animal getting closer with every attempt. Ariston climbed up to the top of the cable in time to see the Berzerker pull his weapon out of the hull. He walked over and smiled, lifting the halberd. Ear piercing screeches filled the air as a second wave of gargoyles attacked the hovering ship. The Champion turned in time to catch one as it flew into him, spraying bioplasm all over his face. The Berzerker threw the creature out of the door behind him, as his eyelids melted closed. He screamed as his hands reached for an area to grab onto.

"Now, it's just me," The Blood Angel sergeant yelled as he uppercut the Khorne worshipper out of the vehicle and into the pile of razon toothed death that awaited him below. The Marine bent down and tossed the tainted halbert out of the craft, closed the doors and piloted the Valkyrie through the clouds. As the Transport broke atmo, the marine heard multiple hissing sounds and knew that the integrity of the vehicle had been compromised.

The marine slumped to the ground. Without his helmet, he would not survive the journey. He needed it for hibernation.

 _All for nothing._

The Sergeant sat in the near darkness coming to grips with his inevitable fate when he saw a small bit of crimson visible from underneath some duffel bags. The Blood Angel reached under and pulled out the object.

The Marine sighed and shook his head at Phane's helmet before putting it on.

 **AFTERWARD:** Thank you for reading my story, please leave a review. Also I would love to hear things you would have liked to see or different endings, etc. **Note:** There have been some readers that brought up the question of the Valkyrie leaving the planet. According to Forge world fluff- it can't do this. According to White Dwarf fluff- it can. So I went with what fit the story.


	2. Chapter 2

**Tooth And Claw** **Part 2**

 **A Charmed Life**

Sergeant Ariston was out of luck. He had managed to escape the Tyranid Deathworld and the Khorne worshipping traitors that also fell there. Now, in the big black nothingness of space he had no options. Had he escaped one vicious death only to switch to a slower, more tortuous one? He couldn't run the engine for any extended length of time, it had been damaged and slowly leaked radiation. His natural astartes durability could compensate for it easily, but if the engine was pushed it would surely explode. Ariston didn't know for sure whether he could survive that, but knew he didn't want to find out.

His only choice now was a gift from the Emperor, in the form of the Su-san membrane. An implant all initiates get in their brain. It allows the marine to enter a self imposed hibernation when situations got dire. This situation was dire. The downside is that, the marine can't wake himself from it. It takes a librarian or some other highly trained individual to resuscitate the astartes.

Ariston looked out at the black one last time, and said a prayer to his fallen Primarch before closing his eyes and slowing his breathing. In short order, the blackness came for him.

# # # # #

His body was wet, naked except for a cloth covering his groin, and he couldn't seem to move. Partially due to the hibernation weakness and partially due to a thick chain that held him in place at the neck. He heard voices but could not see. Another language? Not any Gothic he had heard. Too complex. Female? The voice faded in and out then disappeared.

He awoke again. This time, bright light. The fuzzy outline of figures. He had slipped out of consciousness again. How many times has this happened? How long had he been here?

"You have many questions. I can hear you thoughts roaring at the blackness. You will get answers, but you must rest." The crisp elegant voice said.

The sound grew quieter as it spoke. It walked away.

light hit his eyes like plasma fire. He awoke again. This time he could see everything. He was in a prison cell. Chained at the throat to the stone wall. His sacred armor removed. The marine's head pounded out an excruciating two flutter rhythm in his skull.

The voice returned, "Hello. Do you know your name?"

When the voice spoke his pain subsided. A figure stepped from behind the wall. A tall, thin, robed female with long purple hair and pointed ears. Eldar. Xenos. Filth.

"Do you know your name," she asked her large violet eyes unblinking and staring.

"My name is Sergeant Ariston Killian of the 5th Company Blood Angels."

"Good. I have never brought anyone out of such a deep hibernation before, I was worried your mind would be mush. But, you know your name and rank, I don't imagine there is much else rolling around in a marine's head."

"Where is my armor, weapons, gear?"

"Disposed of. You won't require them anymore."

The marine heard that sentence and felt a crushing blow in both his hearts. An Astartes without his holy ceramite? He wouldn't let the xenos filth enjoy his suffering. He buried his anger deep. He knew enough of the alien to know your thoughts were not safe. You had to protect them at all times in their presence.

"What is to become of me?"

"You will be sold. Ork slaves fetch a large amount in the fighting pits. Imagine what a valiant warrior of the Imperium of Man would get me? Or maybe a Pleasure Planet. I have often wondered...are you marines...you know? Can you still," The eldar female curled her lip while pointing downwards.

Ariston's anger flared white hot as he stood, he imagined tearing his neck chain off, then reaching through the bars to tear the xenos witch in half with his bare hands.

"Stop chaffing him Zaranda, you've had your fun," another voice said from down the hall. It was male and gruff, as if from a lifetime of yelling.

A human wearing a deep blue leather coat, black pants and scuffed boots stepped near the bars. He had a large belt with various odd items hanging from it. Some weapons, others the marine had never seen.

"Sorry, Blood Angel. Zaranda isn't fond of your kind. Asartes burned her parents to death, so…well, you understand."

 _A rogue trader._

Ariston had heard of these men before but had never met one. Licensed by the imperium to explore, claim land, and even trade with xenos. Some Rogue Traders took that exemption to mean they could have them as crew. The topic was highly debated in Imperial council meetings, unfortunately no Rogue Traders ever came to any.

"Being a fellow agent for the Imperium, I demand that you set me free," Ariston said staring down at the captain through his cell bars.

"Certainly. But the way I see it, we rescued _you_. So you owe us. "

The Angel of Death didn't care to hear words like debt thrown toward him. He had fought hundreds of battles all over the Emperor's kingdom. Freed worlds, purged heretics, and burned xenos scum. His life was given freely to preserve Terra and Baal, not the whims of some puffy backwards human and his alien confidant.

"What...do I owe you, sir?"

"Okay. Good. Well first off. We pulled you and your craft out of the blackness on good faith. We found you, revived you, and took care of you here. We could have just let you keep on floating till you fell into a star or some Nicassar junker pulled you up and gutted you for parts. But, we didn't."

"How kind of you," The marine said coldly.

"So anyway, we didn't know if you were going to wake up. My mechanic Grunder, couldn't help himself but to look at your ship's engine. That ain't no Guard transport. That is some high-end Mars conversion. Where did it come from?"

"I found it. On a Tyranid Death World."

The human and the eldar looked at each other in disbelief.

"Right. Well, we got some rough space we are going to be sailing through and we could use some extra manpower. I figure you help us with five jobs, we give you back your armor and weapons, drop you off at the nearest Imperial friendly planet, and part ways for good. How's that sound?"

The marine looked at the eldar female his eyebrows furrowed. Her rouse exposed, she just shrugged and smiled.

"I have a question," The astartes said touching his chin.

"Certainly," The Zaranda replied.

"What if, instead," The marine jolted up faster than the eldar was expecting, reached up, tore the chain out of the wall, dashed to the bars, bent them, and snatched up the Rogue Trader in one hand, he continued, "I tear your head off, crush your eldar concubine and take the ship myself?"

The Rogue Trader struggled to breathe as he pushed his fist into the marine's stomach, "I have a...digi-lascannon ring pointed...at your torso. I pushed...ugh...the activator rune already, if I don't toggle it off...quick, it will fire through you."

The marine growled and put the Trader down. He adjusted his coat, stretched his neck from side to side and choked for a moment. "Also, Zaranda has a shock collar on you. If you had killed me, she would have activated it and that would be that. You would seize up and we'd throw you out an airlock."

Ariston looked at Zaranda and she blew him a kiss, then winked, holding up an activator stud in her hand.

"I'm Nathaniel Aleister Belmont, Captain of this ship: The Thunderclaw. We have an understand now, yes?"

The marine's face scrunched, "Thunderclaw?"

"Yeah, it was called 'The Scion of Bounty' when I got it. I don't know, I liked Thunderclaw better."

The captain stopped at a oversized door at the end of a hallway and held his hand out, 'Here you go. This used to be an Ogrun's room before I got the ship. You will probably find clothes to fit you in there. We can't have you fighting enemies of the Emperor in your skivvies, right?"

Ariston opened the door and began to move through it when, Aleister stopped him.

"Look, Ariston? Is it? I know this isn't what you wanted, but it is the best I can do. If you give me your word, I'll give you mine," The human held out his hand as a gesture of faith. The marine looked at the human for a moment then enclosed his massive hand over the captain's and shook it. The captain winced, withdrew his hand, and inspected it quickly, before nodding.

Ariston entered the room and looked around. It hadn't been inhabited for some time. He managed to find some clothes that he could fit into and tie onto himself. The cloth shirt and pants felt odd to him. He hadn't worn anything but his armor the and occasional robes in decades. Not since before he was an initiate. Feeling presentable, the sergeant wanted to find his way to the bridge. He was anxious to fulfill his boons and get back to his battle brothers.

As he opened the door, he looked down the long hallway. A hormagaunt dashed by into the nearby passageway. He slammed his door shut, and quickly scanned his room for a weapon. Seeing none, he moved to the table in the center of the room, flipped it, tore the leg off, and charged out the door. He silently stalked the halls.

Had he seen a hormagaunt or was this more side effects from the hibernation or the mind-witch?

He heard a clip-clop sound coming from around the corner ahead. The sound of Tyranid hooves burned into his mind from the Death World, he jumped out swinging at the chitinous beast.

It ducked and jumped back. It screeched and ran down the hall. Ariston stood there dumbfounded. He had never seen a Tyranid run before.

Was he that intimidating?

He continued to search the halls for the beast. He knew where you found one, there were always more around.

The passageway opened into a larger area. This one had cages and glass tanks holding wildly different and exotic creatures. Ariston allowed himself a moment to look at the creatures inside, but heard the familiar sound of hooves approach. He was ready this time. He saw movement and attacked. He brought his wooden club down, just missing a metal disk that bounced off his leg. At the other end he saw a Kroot warrior. The marine shook his head furiously.

Had he gone mad?

The Kroot warrior held onto a large bone and tugged at it. On the other end was the hormagaunt that ran from him. The shared a similar color pattern.

"There you there. You mareen," The warrior pointed with the bone. The hormagaunt hissed at the marine as he closed. "You the one, chased m'clixster?"

The marine stood watching the hormagaunt. It sat next to the blueish-white kroot. "Why does it not attack?"

"No reason to. It's me pet, clixster. Named Joba," the kroot said stroking the animal's head, "I'm Waku. Me the tracka for the Captain."

"That is a foul creature and needs to be killed immediately, Waku," the Blood Angel said leveling his club, "It can call more of it's kind and they will destroy us and this whole ship."

"Not how they work, mareen."

"How do you know that?"

"I have had this one for three cycles now, no other ones have come for us."

The Blood Angel shook his head and stomped by. He had had enough of this damned ship already.

The bridge was familiar enough. Imperial craftsmanship was always comforting. The room was a large oval. Different stations on the bridge filled the outer areas, in the middle has an oversized oval with holomaps floating over it. In front of that was a raised platform with Aleister lounging in it, with Zaranda hunched over him, both looking at a dataslate. As the Angel closed he ran his fingers over a raised aquila on a control panel.

"Well, Well, look who decided to join us. How you feeling, Ariston?"

"I wish to speak to you alone, sir," The marine said ignoring the eldar woman.

"Uh. Okay. Excuse us, Zaranda. We'll be right back."

Zaranda nodded and when Aleister got up, she plopped down into his seat chewing a yellow piece of fruit. The nearby servitor crew continued to perform their menial duties.

The marine and captain stepped into his war room. A library surrounded them. Piles of maps, charts, and odd statues and trinkets lay all about.

"I need you to release me from my word, Captain."

"Whoa, whoa there Ariston. You haven't been awake for a whole day yet and you already want to back out of our deal? What happened?"

"You have shown a flagrant disregard of the Emperor's teachings. Your ship is disgusting. It is filled with xenos, including an eldar warlock, and a Tau sympathiser who has a hormagaunt running around your ship? Have you lost your mind sir, sir? Or has that xenos mind-witch corrupted you?"

"Ariston, things are done a bit differently out here. That eldar mind-witch, as you call her, has helped me liberate seven Imperial settlements from savage eldar raiding parties. Two without firing a single shot. All now paying tithes to the Imperium of Man. Waku, the Kroot tracker helped stop a genestealer infestation by tracking down a human who was hiding the little beast in her hut. He also hunted down a pleasure cultist that was turning imperial citizens into sex perfume."

The Blood Angel stood quietly staring at the captain.

"You see, you may not like how I do things, but we're on the same team. Not everyone fits on simple black and white teams out here. Any one of us would be killed by the majority of our faction, if they ever got hold of us. Except you, of course. You're an astartes. One of the valiant warriors of the Emperor! You know no fear. Well not all of us were lucky enough to be selected to join your ranks. Some of us do the best we can with nothing."

"I had never considered…" The marine began to say, then stopped. He wasn't wrong to follow his programming. Their philosophies were at an impasse. He remembered what his Captain used to say: "When you find yourself tied up with an ally in negotiations, compromise."

"Captain Belmont, I see that we have different viewpoints on how things work. This is your ship, and as you said: we have an agreement. For these five missions I will put aside my conditioning and aid you.

"Great. I know it will be difficult standing alongside your enemies, but I've heard of the Space Marine's legendary mental fortitude. You'll do fine."

The klaxons began blaring in the corridor as the lights went from soft white to red flashing.

They had been boarded.

"Already? With no warning," The Captain said sprinting to the bridge with Ariston in tow. The bridge doors closed behind them and the sound of metal tearing could be heard. Small razor edges poked through the door from the other side.

"They are coming for the bridge, " The captain yelled out as he grabbed a large revolver pistol from under his chair. He took cover behind it and threw a las-rifle to the marine.

Ariston caught it, and held the little weapon in his hand.

 _What am I to do with this?_

The doors were sliced opened and the circular cut fell onto the floor with a loud clang. Lithe black and green armored forms flipped and rolled into the room.

The captain cored the first one's head open and it flopped to the deck in a heap. Zaranda flipped over to the group with long silver swords that glimmered in the near dark. Her speed combined with the enemies made it hard to follow the specifics of the fight. Back and forth, thrust and parry, up the wall, rolling on the floor. As fast as it started, it was over. One of the dark kin laid beheaded. Zaranda somersaulted into melee with another fighter and began another dance.

Ariston watched the shadow xenos close on him, and he aimed the rifle and fired it. The xenos' armor absorbed the blast and it kept coming. It spun in the air. While sprung, it flipped out a large razored net onto the marine. The edges bit into Ariston's flesh. Stinging pain corsed all through his body, fueling his rage. He tore the net off, yanked it towards himself, pulling the dark warrior off his feet. The astartes plucked him out of the air and slammed him down onto the deck, hard. The warrior shuttered and tried to scramble free but The Blood Angel pounded his huge fist into its face until it was a red sticky paste.

A hail of splinter rifle shards ripped into the marine's back. Shockwaves of agony rippled through his nervous system as he fell to his knees. Black spots started to form in front of his eyes. The Angel ground his fanged teeth, reached over and pulled two swords from the pummelled dark eldar warrior. To the marine they were sized more like long knives. He wouldn't normally use xenos weapons, but the rage called to him. Blinding, searing anger pushed him to kill all in his gaze, as he tore into the remaining raiding party.

He traded slashes with them. Theirs were deep incisions causing alternating burning and stinging pain with each swipe. His removed heads, arms, and legs with each swipe until the blades finally broke.

Ariston screamed as he mutilated the bodies of the dark kin. Then he locked eyes with Zaranda. Her usual coy smile faded as she slowly stepped away. Ariston, eyes wide, charged, swinging his fists wildly at the warlock. Zaranda flipped and dodged staying safe from his fists. One misstep and her long lifespan would be cut painfully short. Zaranda ran up the side of the wall, pulled her activation rune and triggered it as The Blood Angel dove for her. Electricity surged through the Angel as he hit the deck, jarring in convolutions. Finally falling unconscious.

The captain ran his thumb around the edge of the hole in his bridge door.

"Luckily they were just a small kabalite band. Nothing too serious, get Grunder up here to weld this door-"

A black handed gauntlet grabbed Captain Aleistar by the throat lifting him into the air near the bridge's umbilical passageway.

The shadowed sybarite spoke, using a language Belmont did not know. A blue liquid leaked from the commander's eyes. Veins in his skin could be seen pumping this fluid throughout his neck and exposed captain struggled to free himself but this demonic elf held him one handed in the air.

Zaranda translated his demands, "He says this is his ship now. We are all his slaves."

Belmont said, "Tell him he is vastly outnumbered, let me go and he may leave."

Zaranda explained in the dark kin's tongue. The Sybarite replied.

"Another raider will be here momentarily and the ship will be flooded with our screams as we die moment to moment."

"Tell him to Hell with that, I'll just kill him now." Zaranda explained the message.

The Dark Slaver looked at Captain Belmont and started to shake and hiss. The closest thing the warrior could do to a laugh as the drugs raged through his veins.

Captain Belmont arched his back and kicked the control panel next to the doorway. The upper and lower panels slammed shut instantly, cutting off the warriors hand and locking him in the airlock.

The Dark Eldar Warlord screamed and reached for his side pack, before he could open it, he had already been flushed out the door into space.

Captain Belmont fell to his feet and looked at the seperated hand.

"Any of these rings, worth anything, Zaranda," He said throwing the bejeweled gauntlet.

Her face grew sad as she looked at the largest stone, "This is a spirit stone.

"How much are they worth?"

"It's empty. We don't sell these, Aleister."

Belmont saw the hurt in her eyes and knew not to push the matter.

"The Eldarith Ynneas are not to be underestimated. Their ships run silent. They could still be following, right in our wake and we wouldn't know it," Zaranda said.

"Well let's get a move on then," The Captain said standing over Ariston's body and wiping his own neck with a bloody handkerchief.

"Call Waku up here. Have him clean up Ariston, also he and his pet can eat good tonight,"

"Aye, Sir," Zaranda said with a nod.

#####

Ariston woke laying facedown on a concrete slab. His back vibrated pain every time he moved, even slightly. Arms chained underneath and his shirt and coat removed. He tried to wrench his head to get a better view of his cell.

 _The Dark Eldar must have me._

His mind immediately began to form a plan of escape when Waku walked in, He wore a filter mask over his beak and had on black leather and metal gloves.

"Looka who is back." Waku said.

"Why am I chained to this table, Kroot?"

"Me remove the darkith shreds from your hide. It's dangerous and hurt bad. Wanted to no get punched in the face. I give you the numbing shot first."

"I have been hit before by The Dark Eldar's splinter rifle shards before. In the neck, Waku. I just pulled it out. It hurt, yes, but the wound healed in a week. Astartes are bred tougher than you are used to. I am sure the anesthetic won't be nessessary"

Waku walked around to the front of the marine and squatted down in front of him, looking eye to eye, "You got twenty three shards in ya back, ass-tar-nees. You no want numb, I just start pulling them out."

The marine looked at the floor, "If it...puts your mind at ease...use the numbing agent, Waku."

Despite the medicine, Ariston's screams eventually filled the medbay.

 **Part Three will be along soon. Thank you.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Tooth and Claw Part Three**

 **Nice Place to Visit**

"You are a Rogue Trader, are you not?" Inquisitor Varric wore a bitter, perturbed expression on his face.

"Yes, sir. It's just, we aren't headed that way. We have a scheduled stop-"

"You are now, Captain. I trust you're familiar with Inquisitorial Queries," The older man stretched his neck on the screen to try and get a better look at Zaranda. His bionic eye spun and clicked as it zoomed in.

Captain Belmont stepped in the way of the Inquisitor's view, and replied, "Okay. We'll pick up the tithes. What planet is it again?"

"Borante. Have you been listening at all?"

"Eh, fading in and out, " he mumbled, "We'll be in touch within the next two weeks."

"You had better, Captain. Your Warrant of Trade, may let you bend Imperial law, but you're still held accountable. A snarling broke out as Joba ran across the background, leaping over a console. The Inquisitor leaned in and darted his head back and forth like a sky-avian. "What in the Holy Imperium of Man was-"

"I'm sorry...shhhhhhrrrr...we are having trouble...shhhhhrrr...communications…" Captain Belmont quickly ran his finger across his throat while looking at Zaranda.

Zaranda closed the channel.

"Okay guys. What's the rule about having illegal xenos on the bridge of my ship while talking to the Inquisition again?"

The Bridge door slid open halfway with a loud shriek. Ariston barely squeezed through. The pain in his bandaged back sang out as he stepped on the bridge. In loose fitting pants and a large crimson robe, he made his way to Captain Belmont.

"Waku told me we received a long range vox from the Inquisition," the marine asked flexing his aching arm muscles.

"We did. He ordered us to pick up some tithes on a planet in this system."

"Tithes? That is a little odd."

"It's irregular, But it's the Inquisition. Everything about them is odd, and I'd rather they didn't look too close into my business."

The Blood Angel looked at Zaranda, "I imagine so."

A loud series of clicking sounds echoed around the bridge. Ariston spun around to see a large bone bounce off a side panel, Joba bounded across the width of the bridge in a blink. The hormagaunt attempted to stop but slid full speed, smashing into a bridge servitor. The servitor rolled onto its back writhing and convulsing. It's black and red fluid leaked out onto the deck.

"Waku," Belmont yelled across the room, "get this beast off my bridge!"

The lander touched down a mile outside of the main mining and farming town. The crew looked out over the grassy plains. Covered by long streams of grey clouds, the sun poked its face out leaving bright bands of light rolling across the fields. Ariston held his chainsword in his hand, an award for his victory over the Dark Eldar. He wore a large duster, durable pants, a t-shirt, and thick black boots.

Captain Belmont looked down at Ariston's boots. The mirrored finish nearly blinding him. "You want to scuff those boots up a might, Sergeant."

"I spent an hour cleaning them, captain. Is there a problem with them?"

"Clean boots usually means a lot of money. We don't need any extra eyes on us. We want to get in, get out, get back to space."

Captain Belmont pulled his pistol and checked his rounds before sliding it back into his armpit holster. Waku kneeled down and tasted the dirt, while tugging Joba's leash. He tugged his rifle's shoulder strap checking its tautness.

Zaranda spoke into her vox communicator, "We are good, Grunder. We'll call you if we need extraction." The warlock touched her head scarf and scanned the area. She gave the Captain a nod and tugged on her twin sword's back scabbards.

The group moved ahead as the lander roared out of sight. Belmont spoke as they moved, "Waku, scout up to those trees ahead. Let us know what we are getting into from this mining town."

With a nod, the Kroot tracker and the gaunt took off in a sprint. Between the long strides and bounding leaps, the two disappeared a few moments later.

"So now that it is just us, what are we doing here, Captain," The astartes asked.

"Imperial tithes, Sergeant. I told you," Belmont said looking at his mini navigator screen.

"Sir, we aren't here to pick up some carts of platinus and a couple tonne of corn. Level with us," Zaranda said.

"Corn and platinus, Zaranda. It's that simple."

"Uh-huh," Zaranda looked to Ariston and shook her head.

Ariston wasn't used to this amount of bickering. When he ran his angels, they would occasionally ask him to clarify his orders, but never would they question him. The price for running a xenos crew he supposed.

Ariston looked around the town as they walked through it. Two story buildings made of aged lumber. Work horses pulled carts of goods and people through the streets around them. All of the local rubbernecks all seemed to be as dirty as the town.

Weverwood had a local population of around one hundred people. The town mostly grew vegetables for the townsfolk and some extra to trade with. The bulk of the trade was in precious metals. Not enough to raise the townsfolk above its level of poverty, but until recently they earned a decent living.

Zaranda swayed in the street and fell to a knee. Captain Belmont grabbed her arm and picked her up.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. My head. I have an ache in my head since we landed and I am feeling a little nauseous," The elf said rubbing her eyes.

"Why didn't you say so, sooner?"

"I don't need any backwoods shaman feeding me poisonous roots or animal excrement, thank you."

A small group of three men, approached them. "Yer girlfriend okay there, friend?" The first man, dressed all in black said through his long greying beard.

"Yeah. She's fine."

"You all lost or you lookin for someone," The second man said before he spit onto the ground.

"We seek the leader of this town," Ariston said looking down at the man in black.

"Well, this is my town. So what do you need to talk about?"

"He is lying. His name is Jander Locke. He's a gambler, and a herd animal thief," The Warlock said to Belmont touching her head.

"Psy-witch," The third man said pulling two guns from the belt around his corpulent gut.

The other two drew their weapons also.

Captain Belmont put his hands up,"Okay. Okay. Lets all calm down."

Ariston stepped in front of Aleister and Zaranda, pulled his chainsword out, nearly half the length of one of the men. The fat man swallowed hard as he counted the weapon's teeth. "We have been sent on official business of The Emperor of Mankind. If you do not sheath your weapons and adjust your attitude…" The marine revved up his chainsword, allowing it to hum inches away from Jander's face.

The two other men ran into the nearby bar. Jander too a step backwards and made way for the seven foot tall, five hundred pound man with the bloodstained chainsword in his grip.

Aleister patted Ariston on the shoulder as he walked by, "Thanks."

As they walked Zaranda looked back and saw Jander still standing there watching them.

After buying a few alcoholic drinks for the locals, the location of the town leader was secured. Across town, they climbed the steps of the mayor's office. Aleister and Zaranda walked the hallway of paintings to the last door. Ariston stayed outside, his bulk was better left guarding the entrance.

The mayor's assistant explained that he was "extremely busy and they would have to come back."

Captain Aleister was on a time schedule and pushed past her.

The mayor was a tall thin man, in a nice fitting suit, with thinning grey hair. He practically jumped up when Captain Belmont opened his door.

"Excuse me, sir. What is the meaning of this," The mayor said reaching for his front drawer.

Captain Belmont drew his pistol, "Careful now, Sir. Don't go diving into any hidey-holes in your desk there. Keep your hands where I can see them."

"Are you here to rob me," The mayor said lifting his hands to the side of his head.

"No. We were sent here by Inquisitor Carrot."

Zaranda jumped in," Varric."

"That's what I said," Aleister said, looking back at her, "Anyways, Varric said we are to collect your tithes for the Imperium and bring them back to him. Any of this sounding familiar?"

The mayor sat down, and rubbed his forehead, "Yes. but we don't have his tithes. Someone has been sabotaging our machinery and stolen a handful of our women, including Ms. Langenkamp."

"Who did that," The Captain said leaning on the desk.

"Elouan Vivens. His group took the women. Ms. Langenkamp was part of the tithe to Varric"

"Why," Zaranda asked.

"I don't know. His team came and did blood scans on all of us, and said he would return for her. She was young then, that was five cycles ago."

"Why hasn't anyone gone after her," Aleister asked.

"She wasn't well liked. She had gotten pregnant by one of the Mcginty boys, but we don't know which. After that the few people that talked to her, stopped. Looks bad to be with child without marriage rites."

"Gotcha. Where does this, Elthuan? Where is he at?"

"Elouan has a group of carriages and is constantly moving. He came into town a few days ago and headed north."

"And the machinery? Where is that at," Zaranda asked pointing at the hand drawn map attached on the mayor's wall.

The mayor pointed, "It's over by the mines, the digging equipment was damaged and vandalized. We have sent people to look into it, but they don't come back.

"Okay. You stay around here, we will be back."

The Captain pushed through the double doors and exited the building with Zaranda in tow.

Ariston stood out front, looking over the town.

"Did you get the location of the tithes," Ariston asked.

"No. They were stolen apparently," Captain Belmont said.

"Stolen? By whom," Ariston asked.

"Don't know, yet. Call Waku down. We need to figure this out."

#####

The Captain sent Waku and Joba to check on the sabotaged machinery at the mining area. He, Zaranda, and Ariston would go hunt down Elouan and his group to get Ms. Langenkamp back. Because of the slow rotation of the planet, one day lasted what would normally be three solar days. This gave them more time to find the gang, but also meant if they didn't hurry they would be stuck in the three days of night that followed. Captain Belmont rented two horses and one heavy pack animal for them to ride after Elouan on. Except for Zaranda's occasional headaches, the ride was actually quaint.

Waku and Joba stalked to the mine. The Kroot walked over to the large mechanical auger. It had been gutted with various components thrown on the ground. Waku ran his finger over the deep metal gouges in the engine. The old alien huntsman looked at the tiny tracks around the machine. He ran his claws through the black sand. After a few swipes, he pulled out a jagged stone. Wiping it off with his other hand, the removed sand revealed it to be not a stone but a large tooth. With this revelation, all the pieces came together. Joba hissed at the nearby mine entrance. Waku scouted the area. A few meters away was a tall watchtower. The edges of his beaked maw smiled.

Ariston lagged behind the other two as they followed the wagon tracks across the long dirt road. Despite its size, the overgrown pack animal struggled to carry the space marine. The Blood Angel stopped, climbed off and gave the creature some water. The large beast lapped up the water messily with its long purple tongue while Ariston patted the creature.

"We can't rest too long if we are going to catch up to this wagon," Belmont said.

"I know, I would rather not damage this creature, I will just jog the rest of the way," The astartes said pouring a small amount of water onto his head and rubbing it.

"It's still probably seven or eight clicks ahead of us," Zaranda said pointing north.

"That close? Okay, we can get a move on then," Ariston said breaking into a jog.

The group came to a forest area down the road and followed the dusty road into it to a large clearing. In the center of the clearing, a pair of purple and gold wagons sat. Impeccably groomed horses sat in the front of each of the empty wagons. Captain Belmont walked over to one of the horses to get a closer look. Its soft golden hair was braided with carved beads tied into them.

"His name is Gallarium and he is perfect," A voice said from the treeline.

All three of the crew spun to face the voice.

Elouan Vivens stepped out of the brush. His white hair hung down past his shoulders on either side of his blue eyes. His leather armor, treated suede, with silver studs in rows, had no tears or scuff marks to be seen.

Rustling leaves echoed around the crew from all angles, as singing started. It started low then grew louder and louder. Men and women came out of the forest with their weapons drawn singing praises of their lord Elouan. The cultists wore finely tailored suits and outlandish makeup. Various eldritch symbols were embroidered onto the clothing and on some of them, carved into their skin. These symbols meant nothing to Aleister, but Zaranda and Ariston knew them all too well.

The pair of little green humanoid creatures pulled at the wires on the machine. They dug small makeshift knives into the control panel over and over, forcibly removing one of the control rods. One of them fell onto the ground holding the rod in its hands. The one at the top began laughing uncontrollably. The one on the ground followed suit, when a small pressure wave echoed through the area. On the top of the machine, the little grot's head evaporated into red mist as it's body flopped onto the ground twitching.

The remaining green creature jumped up snarling and made a break for the mine entrance, tossing the rod aside. Two steps before the cave, a blast erupted through it's chest and the rest of the creature collapsed into a heap near the cave's wall.

Waku sat on top of the makeshift tower, re-racking his rifle for the next shot. The problem with grots is: There are always more of them. Then, if you have too many grots, you get Orks.

The Kroot tracker could sense his hormagaunt shifting on his leash. He knew something was wrong, this creature was fundamentally similar to himself. Both are the pinnacles of generations of guided evolution, possessing latent senses neither were fully aware of. Joba hissed and yanked again away from Waku, causing him to shoot a glance backwards.

In the distance a junked out vehicle came into view across the field. Large black smoke poured out of the back of it. Waku looked through his rifle scope at the vehicle and cemented his suspicion.

Orks.

A small band of them. Four in total. The Kroot warrior climbed halfway down the tower and took aim. With the range, and the way the vehicle bounced, he knew he couldn't get a clear head shot on the driver. The large knobby tires, proved much easier.

With the front tire destroyed the vehicle flipped over and began to roll, spraying chunks of metal in all directions as it tumbled. The Ork crew were also thrown clear. Waku climbed down from the tower in a hurry. Joba jumped and scurried between the tower and a nearby rocky outcrop.

The Ork driver stayed down, where his three companions recovered quickly. With a loud roar the three charged the lone tracker. With a quick re-rack, aim, and squeeze- the closest Ork fell. Waku saw the Kroot rifle ammo mag had only one round left. The Orks were close now. The old Kroot loaded the last round, aimed and fired. The round hit the first Ork in the shoulder. It tore into the Ork's green hide but he kept coming. Waku narrowly missed the large choppa's swipe at his head by rolling forward. The second Ork swung his choopa at the warrior, but Waku used the rifle-staff to disarm the Ork and sweep him. With the momentary victory, the tracker buried his blade deep into the Orks chest. The remaining Ork snatched up Waku and slammed him against the nearby rock wall. His stuck a knife into the muscular abdomen of the Kroot. As he pulled it out to ram it in again, He was bowled over by Joba. Viscous scythes and razor sharp teeth quickly blended even the Ork's tough skin to pieces, but not before the gaunt took a knife to the ribs.

Elouan wielded his silver clawed gauntlet, against Ariston's chainsword. Where Elouan was all speed with quick slashes here and there, Ariston swung wide at full power knowing one connection would end the fight. One of the Elouan's choir stopped singing and pulled a crossbow on Zaranda. She outreached her hand and closed her eyes. The man re-aimed his weapon at a nearby cultist and fired into his chest. Killing him. Zaranda smiled for a moment then, fell onto her back, both hands covering her head while she screamed. Captain Belmont, both pistols drawn, shot cultist after cultist. They fell on the ground writhing with smiles on their face, rubbing their blood on there face. Hands grabbed Aleister from every angle while the empty pistol clicked harmlessly. Dragged down under a pile of zealots, Belmont fell unconscious.

Ariston's vision swam through trails of color. Elouan's face spread across the air and the Blood Angel relied on muscle memory. Metal on metal sounds rang out into the forest. The sergeant staggered back, touching his chest and shoulders. He was bleeding. Every wound pulsed with pleasure the warm blood danced down his skin.

"Are you still in there, marine," Elouan's white teeth spread across his face. "I know what you are. How are you enjoying my chems?"

The man's distorted voice deepened and slowed in the marine's ears. He spun around and faced the cart. Ariston watched the colors on the cult leader's armor dance in the air. He opened up the back of the wagon. Ariston staggered to the left and fell face first onto the ground. In his daze he looked up at Elouan. Laughing maniacally, the cultist laid his hand on the forehead of an unconscious pregnant woman.

"Her baby should be along soon enough. So exciting!"

The midwife nodded sheepishly and patted the pregnant woman's head with a damp towel.

The space marine finally succumbed to the preternatural toxins racing through his veins.

#####

Ariston raised his head. In front of him, he saw Zaranda and Aleister tied to large stakes in the ground. The blood angel tried to move, but found himself, also bound to a tree. Cultists moved around the three laying wood at their feet.

Captain Belmont spoke through his bruised face, "Sergeant, are we seriously going to be burned at the stake?"

An angelic voice spoke out, "No, Captain. Not all of you. Just the witch."

"You follow the great enemy, Slanneth. You are a foolish Mon-keigh," Zaranda said.

Elouan slapped Zaranda across the face, drawing blood.

"Leave her alone, zealot," Ariston shouted.

"Really? You defend her? You are an astartes. You swore to obliterate her kind wherever you find them. Am I mistaken," Elouan asked lifting Ariston's face with his clawed hand.

The Blood Angel mumbled under his breath. Elouan turned his head to listen. "What was that? I missed it, hypocrite."

Ariston began repeating his sentence as the cultist moved in closer. He stopped halfway through his statement and spit a large glob in Elouan's face. Elouan shrieked and clawed at his face as he ran away. Ariston strained against his bindings. With great effort they snapped and fell to the ground. Upon seeing this cultists charged the marine from all angles. He snapped arms, backs and necks as he fought through the mob, his eye on his chainsword leaning against the wagon. He leaped over the crowd, rolling and gripping his chainsword. He fired up the weapon and cut a path of grisly gore to his friends. With a few swipes they were freed.

Captain Aleister threw his elbow into a cultist's face and snatched a pistol from his belt. Even through a black eye, he still fired six rounds and killed six cult worshipers. He helped free Zaranda, and propped her up.

"You okay, Zaranda," Aleister asked.

"Something is wrong. Nearby. My head is killing me."

"Is it, fancy pants, over there," Belmont said pointing at Elouan.

"No. This is different. I've felt it since we landed."

Half of Elouan's face still smoldered. He flew into a rage and attacked Ariston wildly over and over. The sergeant kept his head calm and blocked the chaos worshipper's strikes.

"It doesn't matter what you do astartes. A gift from my god's will be born tonight," Elouan yelled.

Captain Aleister and Zaranda dashed over to the pregnant woman. Her labor intensified by every passing moment. Zaranda touched the mother and stepped away. Captain Belmont looked back at her, "What is it?"

"Its her child, Captain. It's a soulless."

Aleister backed away while the mother's heavy breathing continued.

Elouan broke away from the fight with Ariston upon hearing the eldar's statement.

"You lie, witch. The child is no pariah."

"It is. I have been in the presence of one before," Zaranda said.

The mother cried and pushed as the small baby slid out into the midwife's hands.

Zaranda stepped away and refused to look at it. Elouan reached down with his bare hand and touched the baby's face. "So beautiful," He withdrew his hand in pain at it's burning touch.

"This is impossible. The dark maiden wouldn't want a child with no soul."

"It is not impossible, cultist. The chaos gods are fickle. They give and take as they please. It seems to picked the wrong side," Elouan began to cry as Ariston struck him down.

####

Back in town the Mayor gave The rogue trader and his crew a reward for their bravery in addition to the tithe. Lady Langenkamp had passed away in childbirth, so the mayor had no reason to stop Aleister from taking the child with them, despite Zaranda's protests. Extremely pleased with the way Captain Belmont handled the mission, Inquisitor Verric cancelled the investigation against him, and remarked that he might call on him in the future, to Aleister's dismay.

Sergeant Ariston stepped out of his cramped shower area, dried off, and began digging through the Ogrun clothes for a bloodstainless shirt, when he saw light reflect behind him. He turned around fast and saw it sitting on his bed. His Bolter. The Space Marine's weapon. Along with a cleaning kit, sat a note.

Sergeant Ariston,

I return to you your sacred botler in honor of your unwavering bravery and uncompromising loyalty to our crew.

Regards,

Captain Aleister Belmont of the Thunderclaw.

Ariston knew this was too easy. He quicly snatched up the bolter and felt the weight in his hand. Without checking, he knew. No rounds. The Blood Angel did something he hadn't remembered doing in years...he laughed outloud.

Waku sat next to a large slab. Blood seeped from the ribs of the wounded hormagaunt. Despite its severity, the medical servitor continued to apply pressure. Waku stroked the beast's head, saying comforting words in the Kroot tongue. He knew the creature didn't know his language, but he wanted to comfort it anyway. The hormagaunt lifted its head and licked Waku's hand, then slumped down, with one final breath. Waku lowered his head.

Zaranda watched from the doorway. She walked over to the Kroot tracker and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I can ease your pain psychically, Waku. If it is too much," Zaranda said.

"No. I'm good."

"It's interesting, when you think about it. Considering what we know about Tyranids, there are billions upon billions of identical clones of Joba here all over the universe."

"No. None like Joba," The warrior said standing up and walking over to medical implements.

"I'm sure that the Captain will let us stop off at any nearby planet and bury your friend somewhere special."

The Kroot shot a wary glance at the Warlock, "Bury? No. We eat good tonight," Wau said as he began to saw into the hormagaunt's leg.


	4. Chapter 4

**Tooth and Claw:** **Part Four**

The Thunderclaw slipped out of the warp into realspace. The Gellar fields, once again, completed their jobs of keeping all the horrors of hell off Captain Belmont's ship. Unable to sleep, the captain spent time going through his vox messages. One, he had saved, was from an old friend of his. A xenos tech smuggler named Krann Detta. The two of them had been through quite a few adventures, back when Aleister first inherited his Warrant of Trade. His crew was larger back then and comprised of humans solely. Krann had checked the Imperial shipping records and found Aleister's ship was coming through his system. A good a time as any to call in an old debt.

Aleister reviewed the message and tried to piece together what he was getting into. Krann apparently had settled on a nearby planet and now ran the place. His people had recently started going missing and some of his larger livestock had been mutilated. He could tell from his demeanor that his friend was in legitimate trouble but hiding something at the same time.

Aleister sat in his dark quarters sipping cafetea running different scenarios through his mind. Once those were exhausted, he called Zaranda in to his quarters. She had become his confidante. She was a surprisingly good listener.

"So this, Krann, is the leader of a human settlement, and his people are being killed by an unseen force," Zaranda asked, reading over the communication summary.

"That's what he's saying, yes," Aleister said cracking his knuckles.

"You don't believe him, then?"

"It's not that. It's just...for someone who's people are being taken away in the night, he is...I don't know...too calm? He's hiding something."

"Have you conversed with your stomach?"

"What," Aleister said his face scrunched closed.

"You told me in the past your stomach can tell you when someone is lying. What has it said?"

"No, Zaranda. I am talking about my gut. I get a gut feel- nevermind. Get everybody ready to go planetside within the next three hours."

"Waku is still sad-feasting after the loss of his pet."

"The Tyranid! You're kidding me, right," The captain said rubbing his forehead, "I was daft letting that beast on board as it was."

"I believe he is only halfway done eating the creature. It is their way."

"Fine. Uh- bring Grunder. He could use sometime out of the bowels of the engine room."

"Do you think it wise to bring an Ork down to a low-tech planet that has been recently attacked?"

"You know what, you're right."

Zaranda smiled in relief.

"Have him wear a big coat."

Zaranda sighed and left the captain's quarters.

#####

The dropship screamed as it pierced the atmosphere. To the inhabitants of Koltha Minor, it had the appearance of a shooting star. Once through the upper-atmo, Zaranda leveled out their descent and fought with the controls to calm the turbulence. In the passenger hold, Ariston cleaned his chainsword, Aleister checked the ammo in his revolver, and Grunder rocked back and forth like an impatient child.

"I can'ts wait to get down dere and smaaash," The large Ork said.

"Remember Grunder, you don't need to call any extra attention to yourself," Captain Aleister said pointing at the Ork.

"I know. I know. You told me enuff times!"

"These people aren't space travellers. They grew up hearing how terrible the greenskins are. It'll be hard enough having them trust us with Zaranda going. I don't want any trouble like on Tallen Eight."

"That Ummie was givven me a look! I told you…"

Captain Aleister held up his hands, "I know, Grunder. I know. I'm just saying, you need to be calm."

The Ork stopped rocking between ceiling grips, and stood there looking at the wall.

Ariston sat across from the Mekboy, staring at his gear. While he was not a techmarine, he understood most his own wargear's basic principles. Along with maintenance, basic working knowledge was expected of an astartes. As he stared at the Ork's main weapon/manipulation tool he was at a loss.

Chunks of unrelated activators and surge inductors were welded to a fusion coil. This metal staff had large grips and a blade that protruded from the top. Part weapon, part tool, all junk. But it worked. Whatever Ork technology was, it certainly worked. For them anyway. If Arison tried to use it it would be equal chance exploding or falling apart.

Grunder peered at the space marine and smiled a mouthful of teeth. Ariston turned over to Zaranda. She looked back at the lander's control panel, holding in a laugh.

#####

Zaranda placed the ship down on the small cities edge. The reddish interior lights flickered to a softer white.

Captain Belmont and his crew did one more quick weapons check before leaving the lander.

"Stay here, Grunder. We need to scout this out. Just be ready, if we need you to come runnin," Aleister said, sliding his sword into his side scabbard.

The Ork nodded and looked at the floor. Zaranda patted his face, "Awww cheer up, Greenie, we will be back soon enough."

The Ork Mekboy sneered.

Aleister grabbed Ariston's shoulder as he walked by. The marine stopped and raised his eyebrow.

"I know you got it stuffed in your coat somewhere. Here. Just in case," Aleister said handing the marine a magazine of bolter rounds. "It's seven shots."

"Are you that nervous about this meeting? You said you and he were old colleges."

"I don't trust anyone. Not fully."

"And yet you give me these rounds," The marine asked.

"I trust him less than you. How about that?"

"Works for me," Ariston said racking his bolter and checking the sights.

Captain Belmont, Ariston and Zaranda walked down the lander's plank and onto the plascrete stairway. Halfway down they saw a group of five people dressed in military platemail with lasrifles ready at their hips.

An unarmed blonde man made his way to the group with a datapad in his hand.

"You're Captain Aleister Belmont, yes," The head guard asked.

"I am."

"Prime Minister Krann Betta is expecting you. He asks that you leave all weapons with us and we'll escort you to him immediately."

"And if we don't?"

The space marine stepped closer to the lead guard, towering over him.

A mechanical voice came over the lead guard's communicator. -It's fine Garrett. Let them in-

The small troop lead the Rogue Trader crew into a huge spire. The crew of the Thunderclaw and the guard troop all stepped onto a service elevator. The doors closed and a small alert beacon sounded. "-error-maximum weight exceeded-error."

All of them on the elevator glared at each other.

Aleister chuckled, "Too much weight," he turned towards Zaranda.

"If you look at _me_ I will behead you, " the warlock said not making eye contact.

Aleister patted Ariston on the shoulder, "It must be you big guy. You okay with taking the other elevator with half the guard?"

Ariston stepped off the elevator and five of the other guards waited with him.

Captain Belmont, Zaranda, and the lead guard Garrett rode up in one elevator. Eighty floors up the doors opened, at the end of the hallway they stepped into a huge office. An older man with long white hair sat hunched over a large blackwood desk. His bionic left hand connected to one of two large datapads on his desk. Screenpics scrolled through on the pad's viewer. Thin waist high platforms were in two rows on either side of the office. Atop each one sat a glass dome. Within the domes were artifacts from different races across the galaxy. Zaranda stopped and studied one of the domes for a moment. Inside sat a large crimson gem. As Aleister closed, Krann Betta stood up and his arm's leads disconnected from the pad and slid back into his forearm.

"You came," Krann yelled holding out a hand to Aleister.

Aleister took his hand, shook it, and replied, " Well yeah, of course I came."

Krann looked Zaranda up and down and held his and out. Zaranda politely took his hand.

"What is your name, beautiful?"

Zaranda squeezed his hand and pulled him in close, "My name is Zaranda. Where did you aquire that red gem?"

"What? Oh. I acquired that from a Demiurg trader a few cycles back. I'm something of a collector. Does it mean something to you?"

"It's a soulstone. If you killed a seer and took it from them, Mon-keigh…," Zaranda twisted Krann's arm slightly.

The Prime Minister yelled out just as his Lead guard drew his pistol and put it to Zaranda's head. Aleister drew his pistol and put it in the guard's back, when the doors opened. The guards broke into a run and all drew their weapons. Ariston walked around all of this and stared at Aleister.

"What is going on in here, Captain," Aleister asked drawing his chainsword. He flipped the activator rune and the engine roared on. He squeezed the handle and the teeth chewed through the air.

Krann looked at Aleister. Through gritted teeth said, "This is why we don't allow weapons in here."

The Rogue Trader laughed and told his people to lower their weapons. Zaranda released Krann's arm and he stood up. He wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, sat down in his desk and massaged his arm.

"You never change, Aleister. So are you going to help me out or not," with a nod to the guard leader, all of the security left.

"Why me, Krann," Aleister said sitting in a chair near Krann's desk.

"I send requests to the Imperium. They said the quickest they could respond is a year. I know my people wouldn't accept that. We've already had a few mobs go into the mountains looking for vengeance. None have came back. Not in one piece anyway."

"One piece," Zaranda asked, stepped forward.

Krann leaned away from her, "Who-whatever's doing this- horribly mutilates the bodies. Only parts are found."

Aleister looked back to Zaranda, "Eldarith Ynneas?"

"Who," Krann asked.

Zaranda answered, "The Dark Eldar, and no. It doesn't make much sense for them to attack a city of this size in a small band."

"We are safe in the city," Krann said with a smirk.

"No, you aren't. If they came for your people, they would come in a grand Kabal. One large slave clutch. Your whole city would be cleaned out in a night of suffering and agony, unlike anything you can imagine," Zaranda said looking out the window at the city below.

Krann swallowed, "Will you help me. This is all out of my league. I can give you support troops, vehicles, whatever you need."

Zaranda turned to face Krann, "How do you power this city?"

Krann squinted his eyes, "What do you mean?"

"This large a city, I didn't see any large scale generators, you obviously aren't using starlight."

"Geothermal. We get our power from the planet's core, sweetheart. Should last us another five thousand years." Krann said..

Zaranda stared at him.

Aleister stood from the chair, "We'll help you, Krann. Fifty thousand, plus ten for each of my crew."

Zaranda cleared her throat.

"Oh. And the gem."

Krann sighed and drew up the contract. Zaranda took the gem.

#####

The crew returned to the lander in a pair of new open topped ground-runner vehicles. Grunder jumped out and ran over to them.

"So we's takin da job," The Mekboy asked eyeing the new vehicles.

Captain Belmont jumped out and walked over toward the lander, "Yes we are, Grunder. Load up the runners. We leave in the hour."

"He is lying to us, Captain," Zaranda said.

"I know," Aleister said.

Zaranda's eyes widened, "Then why help him?"

"Because a liar's money spends the same, Zaranda. Why didn't you read his mind?"

Zaranda hugged herself, "I began to and…," she shuttered slightly, "uhh...he is a pervert. I will leave it at that."

Aleister chuckled.

The Mekboy ran over to the vehicle and popped the hood. He began to point at different pieces and a smile grew on his face.

Zaranda unhooked the hood support and slammed it down, narrowly missing the Ork's twitchy fingers, "We don't have time for upgrades, Grunder, come on."

Grunder shot a disappointed look at Zaranda, but quickly pulled a red areopaint can out, shook it up and leaned over to the door.

A yell came from Zaranda, inside the lander, "Grunder!"

The Mekboy spit on the ground, kicked the runner's tire, and ran toward the aircraft.

#####

The nearby star would sink below the horizon in less than an hour. Darkness didn't bother The enhanced astartes, the Eldar warlock, or even the Ork. Captain Belmont, however, needed light to see. He didn't want to get out there too late. The lack of a nearby moon cut back on available light. Aleister had Grunder rig up some lighting on the runners and on his personal armor, just in case.

Away from the city area, the crew moved into the agricultural section, where some of the livestock had been mutilated and missing. Grunder laughed and howled as he flew through the countryside. His copilot Ariston just held onto the vehicle as best as possible. Zaranda and Aleister did their best to keep up.

A red soaked grass area lie ahead of them. Ariston raised in his seat pointing it out to Grunder. The Ork spun the vehicle into a slide turn, nearly rolling the whole vehicle. Ariston shot him an angry glance and hopped out walking over to the gore. Grunder followed behind.

Zaranda pulled up behind the first runner and she and the captain moved to the bloody scene.

Bones of the creature were laid out in order of a mock autopsy. The large organs were in a bloody pile off to the left side, where the remaining soft tissue sat in a mess to the right.

Grunder squatted down and moved a leg bone with one of his makeshift instruments.

Ariston scanned the area with his auspex, but found nothing close by.

"Anyone got any ideas," Aleister asked looking at the gore, his nose covered by a gloved hand.

"This creature was killed in the last few hours. Whatever did this is precise, methodic," Zaranda said.

"Because of the displaying of the bones?"

"Yes, but also the cuts on the body. They are razor sharp, surgical," Zaranda said picking up one of the bones.

"So, no to the Dark Eldar theory," the captain said.

"Not likely. They gain more pleasure from torturing sentient creatures. These livestock wouldn't mean anything to them."

Ariston had walked a spiral pattern away from them, when he saw a reading on his auspex, "Captain, there is a power source up in those mountains."

"What kind?"

"I am not sure, but it runs deep below the mountain," the marine said.

"Well we've seen enough here, let's head up there. Grunder! Stop, let's go."

The Mekboy quickly collected all the creatures teeth he had pulled and jumped into the runner.

The vehicles struggled to climb the mountain path's incline. The knobby tires dug deep grooves as they fought for purchase. Not wanting to waste fuel, the crew gave up and jumped out. Making their way on foot, the mountain grew dark being on the opposite side of the setting star.

Captain Belmont flicked on his low light. It was enough to see but not enough to be seen from far away. Ariston lead the way into the caves at the top of the path, following the power readings. The higher they got the more the temperature dropped, this left a slight chill in the air.

The caves were too small for the runners to fit into. It wasn't more than a few steps in before Ariston found a weapon. Zaranda found more and some armor a few feet deeper. Splinter rifles. Dark Eldar weaponry that breaks down crystals into razor shards that the gun launches at supersonic speeds. Intended more to hurt than kill.

"The armor is Eldarith Ynneas also," Zaranda said.

Grunder searched the edges of the cave looking for more weapons to loot. He shined one of his spotlights at the wall. Small grooves were scratched into the rock.

"What's dis," The large Ork asked pointing his finger.

Zaranda moved to Grunder's side. Her face moved an inch from the wall as she read the symbols, "Captain, this isn't good."

Aleister dropped the armor plate, and stood behind her.

The warlock followed the carvings with her finger as she read, "It says that my dark kin were here. They crashed few hundred clicks from here. The Kabal leader knew of a webway portal up in these mountains. When they came to investigate...they were attacked by the metal death."

Aleister shook his head, "The metal death? What is that?"

Zaranda turned to look at the captain, "I don't know."

"I don't like it when you don't know something."

Grunder fired one of the splinter rifles at the opposite wall. The shards whistled through the air. The splinters shattered against the rock interior. Grunder liked the way the weapon sprayed multiple rounds. "Lil Dakka," he said. The broken pieces began to pile up next to the wall when Zaranda slapped Grunder on the shoulder. "Enough. We can sell this stuff, start collecting it all up."

Aleister saw the space marine standing at the opening of the cave and approached him.

"You okay, Ariston?"

"Yes. Are we finished here," the Blood Angel asked.

"For the night, I don't think-"

A scream came from in the cave. Ariston instinctively pulled his bolter and ran toward the noise. Aleister drew his revolver and followed.

Inside a hunched form lumbered over towards the Ork. Once closer they saw a metal skeleton, draped in bloody strips of flesh. It's long razor talons stuck into Grunder, pinning him to the wall. Metal on metal clashing sounds began to ring out as Zaranda dueled with another at the opposite side of the cave, her blades matching swipe for swipe, its clawed hands. The bolter shell tore into the robot and exploded it's body into pieces. Grunder slumped down on his bottom, holding his side.

Zaranda slashed and flipped. In her melee, she removed the metal talons with a double strike. The creature stepped back and disappeared into the rock wall. Captain Belmont ran over to the wall and touched it. Solid.

Ariston reached down and pulled Grunder up, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. He just nicked me," The Ork said covering deep gashes.

"That may be true, but let's look at it once we get back to the runners," Aleister said leading the way out.

Back at the vehicles, Ariston wrapped up the Ork's injuries.

"Are they bad," Aleister asked the blood angel.

"I do not know for sure. I am usually causing Ork injuries, never have I attended to one."

Grunder laughed a little but stopped as pain ran through his wound.

"It is the Necrons, Captain. This city may have to be relocated," Zaranda said starting up the runner.

"I'm not sure Krann is going to agree to that," Aleister said.

"Well I can tell you this about Necrons-"

As they spoke a hot green blast ripped through the air hitting the second runner. Molecules were ripped apart at the subatomic level in a dancing light. The blast stopped and the front part of the runner was gone except for a light steam in the air.

Up at the mouth of the cave a large group of slumped shadows moved forward in errie unison. Their weapons and eyes glowing an eerie green. Grunder grabbed his weapon and began to stand when Ariston tackled him into the vehicle's back. Zaranda and Aleister jumped in the front and the vehicle tore off just as a second and third blast burned the ground. With the extra weight the runner's handling was terrible and the body rocked back and forth on straining shocks. Half a click from the city area, the suspension finally gave and Zaranda drove the noisy vehicle in. The tires near burned from rubbing.

Once in Krann's office, they explained what they had seen.

"Necrons. Skeletal robots that kill everything in the area, is that right," Krann asked.

Captain Belmont hit the desk, "Damn it, Krann, this is serious. If these things are half as bad as Zaranda and Ariston say, they could come and wipe all of us out."

"If what you say is true, what? You want me to evacuate the whole city? Where to? The nearest colony is in the next system over."

Zaranda stared out the window of the office and spoke, "Can you gather a militia? To protect the people until we get them offplanet?

"Offplanet? There are twenty thousand people living here in Koltha Minor. We ain't leaving."

"You're gonna risk all these people's lives just so you can play king of the planet? Krann... get these people outta here," Captain Belmont yelled.

Loud explosions followed by panicked screams filled the night. Green lights flashed at the other end of the city in a rhythmic pattern. Ranks of metal skeletons lumbered in unison down the street, firing gauss beams into the city. Each blast atomically erasing whatever it touched. Hovering above them, Half-skeleton half-grav weapons platform deleted chucks of tall buildings. Their slow methodical pace systematically removing the city from the planet.

The authorities moved in. City Security vehicles emptied their cargo of protection officers onto the front lines. Laspistols, lasrifles, and krak missile launchers slowed the advance for a while, allowing the other teams to bring the larger heavy defense weapons. Once the Necrons focused the attack on the officers, heavy casualties resulted. The Captain of the officers lead from the front lines until he too, evaporated into particles and steam, leaving new lieutenant Tristan Fallow field promoted to Captain.

Captain Fallow grabbed a gravbike and told his men to fall back to the next street and regroup. Everywhere around them the humans scattered and were hit by the gauss beams. Ripped apart layer by layer at the atomic level and their atoms returned to the weapon.

He switched the vehicles travel control from low-hover to free-flight. Allowing the grav-bike pilot control over the lateral controls. He pulled over to a nearby weapons van and loaded up on frag grenades and had a couple of krak ones as well. Ordering his men to give him some cover fire on his bombing run. The city guardsmen all fired on the oncoming horde, a few of the silver and green skeletons dropped, but not many. Fallow took a deep breath and launched high up into the air, rocketing toward the front line. Once he was a few seconds out, he began pulling pins on the explosives and dropped them as he went. The grenades blew apart the Necron warrior's bodies. Slowly the pieces that ceased moving phased away in front of his eyes. Fallow rubbed his eyes and looked again. None of the broken bodies remained. All faded away as soon as they were destroyed, leaving nothing behind.

A gauss beam cut into the gravbike's underside. Erasing it as Fallow leaped off. He was two stories up so the landing was going to hurt. He grabbed at a nearby tree as he flew by, slowing his fall a little, as he crashed onto a parked vehicle and rolled over onto the street. He coughed up blood as he felt shooting pains up his left arm. It was fractured, maybe broken. A steady metal ca-chunk...ca-chunk noise moved on the other side of the vehicle. Fallow scooted on his bottom away as he used his remaining arm to draw his lasgun. He waited until the machine showed his head before firing. It took two shots but the second pierced one of it's eyes, dropping it. Breathing heavy, he backed up to a building. His skin was on fire and his head was swimming.

 _Probably shock setting in._

One of the large floating Necrons hovered above him and began to slowly lower down near him. The machine spun around focusing it's targeting eye at Fallow as its long barrelled particle blaster warmed up with crackling green energy. No running from this machine. Its high in the sky advantage, targeting, and long range weapon spelled out his demise.

The metal creature pitched forward to unleash it's jade blast on Fallow, when a huge green Ork jumped onto it. The gauss beam cut upwards tearing into the building and missing Fallow by inches. The Ork tore into the hover robot's chassis. The Necron spun and juked while the Mekboy bashed its head over and over. Grunder tore the optical peice off its face and stuffed it into his pocket. Then proceeded to yank out other internal parts as the creature spun wildly. Grunder laughed and held on with his other hand. The green light inside the rents of its body flashed and flickered, then went black. The whole robot slumped and fell straight down. Grunder jumped and rolled right before it hit the ground. It vanished a moment later.

The Mekboy reached his hand down to Fallow, "C'mon Umie, We gots ta go,"

Fallow couldn't believe his eyes, but got up and ran with the Ork.

The Necron numbers were dwindling. Because of sacrificial tactics from the city guard, what had been a sizable assault force, had been lowered to a more manageable raiding group.

Zaranda's race had fought the Necrons for millions of years, but this was the first time she personally had faced off against them. Against the average human, they were horrifying undying foes, with her speed and unmatched agility, they were slow and predictable. She dashed and vaulted through their lines. Her twin swords slashed and ripped into the Necroarmor as she moved. Each of the warriors would react to her attack, raise their long barrelled weapon, and bring the small axe muzzle down where Zaranda had been moments earlier. None connected. The only real threats to her was ranged shots. This close to them in melee, they didn't seem to realize that as she cut through their number.

Grunder returned to the makeshift command HQ with Fallow. Inside Zann and Aleister watched the battle, attempting to shift the tactics of the battle to their favor. Fallow looked out at the battlefield, he had seen more than a few in his time. Near the command tent the last line of defense was comprised of mostly medics. Normally these men and women roamed the battlefield applying much needed immediate medical help to the wounded. This skirmish was eerily different, when the city guard died from gauss blasts, the casualty was atomized, leaving almost no remains. When one of the Necrons died its remains also teleported away to Emperor knows where. This had an odd effect of making the battle grow quieter and smaller as it went on. Whatever died was just gone. No burial. No chance for a last minute save from a medic.

Krann looked out at his city. The devastation could be seen anywhere he looked. If not for the city guard's tenacity and Aleister's crew answering his distress call, his city would be lost and his people all dead.

Ariston jogged up to the tent.

"I made the call, Captain."

"Good. How long?"

"Within hours. They had a small squad not too far from here investigating Dark Eldar raids in the area."

Krann snarled, "Who did you call? Not the Inquisition?"

Aleister furrowed his brow, "You need help here Krann. You won't let your people leave, so I had to do something."

Zaranda made her way to the command tent with the survivors of the battle. "The last of the Necron warriors disappeared, Captain."

Krann pointed at the warlock, "There you see we won! It's over. Tell the Inquisition that-"

Ariston interrupted, "You didn't win anything. You don't understand the Necrons, sir. This was just the opening scout units. They will return to that mountain for repair, and be back with a larger, more deadly force."

Krann snatched a map off the table and tore it in half, "You don't know that, for all we know that was the last of them. They came for the artifact, but we pushed them back!"

Aleister stepped up to Krann, "What artifact?"

Krann froze. He had misspoken but it was too late. He looked away and began to speak to Fallow.

Ariston snatched up Krann lifting him into the air with ease, "The captain asked you a question, sir."

Krann spat out words through his closing throat, "I'll show you."

The crew followed Krann down into the underbase beneath the capitol building. Two elevator rides and a handful of staircases later, they came to a large vault. Soft yellow light lit up the huge black metal doors. Krann walked up and pushed his bracelet to a wall sensor. With a loud hiss, the doors opened as the lights turned from yellow to red. Inside was three large generators surrounding a man sized black pyramid. Green energy seeped from slight cracks on the side of the pyramid. The rest of the room was impossibly complex rigging of power regulating equipment, regulator meters, and adjusting levers.

Servitor slaves made constant callibration changes on nearby panels.

A voice rang out from above, "Krann have you brought company?"

The techpriest was fused at the waist to a serpentine mechanical body attached to the ceiling of the room. Only part of his face and chest had any flesh left. The rest was a mixture of spinning servos, clicking gears, and needle-like antenna running across its body.

Krann nodded, "Yes, This is the Rogue Trader I called about our _problem_ , Zaxis."

The tech serpent uncoiled further and moved up to Aleister, " So Captain, what are we to do?"

Grunder walked over in a near trance, only pausing to chuckle mid step, before touching the techpriest's body. He immediately flipped down his viewing monocle and adjusted cogs on its side.

"Get this foul beast off of me," Zaxis yelled as he bumped Grunder away.

Aleister held up his hand, "Grunder…"

The Mekboy frowned and leaned up against the wall. He looked around and started to unscrew a bolt near his hip.

"We are going to have to move the people from this planet. There are Necrons here and they are awakening," Aleister said.

"I have monitored the top side fighting through security cameras in the city. It looks to me like your crew and the city guard have defeated them and they are gone."

Zaranda unfolded her arms, "They will be back with more warriors. Once they start, they don't stop."

Zaxis began studying some metal regulator displays on the huge pillar in the room's center, "Well we will see about that when the time comes."

"We need to evacuate this planet as soon as possible or everyone will be killed," Zaranda shouted.

"Nonsense. I'm nearly done with figuring out the Necron power cells energy distribution equations. Once I have I may be able to replicate their gauss weaponry. Can you imagine?"

Aleister stepped up, "Look whatever you are working on has to be abandoned. We won't be able to repel the Necrons again. They will come and kill everyone in the city, do you two not understand this?"

"Understand? Yes. Care? No," Zaxis said, "This is too important."

Aleister looked at Krann, "Then we're out of here."

Rumbling noises were heard above. Zaxis flinched and then waved his hand and three monitors flashed on. The Necrons had returned. More warriors and weapons of destruction were seen floating in. Aleister yelled for the crew to move. They left Zaxis and Krann below.

On the top side, Tristan Farrow had set up heavy weapons blockades in the event the metal undead returned. Using overlapping fields of fire, he had managed to slow the advance of the returning Necrons. Heavy Bolter and Lascannon fire tore into the ranks of the shambling horde. They dropped and faded away another stepping up to take its place. Bright lime colored beams of light flashed in hitting the heavy bolter and lascannon platforms reducing them and their crews to little more than a discoloration on the ground.

More grav weapon Necrons were moving in from above. In squads of four now. They swooped down in formation, weapons charging, when Fallow fired a lascannon shot into the lead one. It blew apart instantly. One by one the others began to explode also. Barrages of heavy weapons fire came in from behind Fallow's firing line. Tristan looked up and saw a space marine land speeder pull in, spraying assault cannon rounds into the squad. A black armored marine piloted it straight into the explosions and continued firing into the warrior line, tearing them to shreds with thousands of bolter rounds and missile fire. Two twin-linked lascannon volleys ripped into the Necron line evaporating the metal death in rapid succession.

Aleister and his crew rushed to the top side just in time to see the Deathwatch kill team push back the Necrons a second time. The Land Speeder and Land Raider team reinforced the city defense team holding the Necron line at bay. An Iron Hands commander stepped out of the Deathwatch Land Raider with a group of marines in tow. The leader was bald and half his face had been replaced by a silver skull. He continued to shout orders to the rest of his crew and soon the marines had overlapping fields of fire.

The Rogue Trader quickly pulled his team into the dropship. Zaranda prepped the engines for take off and began to power up the engines, when Ariston spoke, "Are you not going to even speak to my battle brothers?"

"No sir, marine. If they see my xenos crew we are done for. They will all be executed on sight the same as me, warrant or no warrant."

"They need to be warned," Ariston said, putting his huge hand on Aleister's shoulder. Zaranda's hand rushed to her blade's pommel, but the rogue trader waved his hand at her.

"It's fine. Everyone calm down. Go talk to them. Explain the situation. We will stay here, though."

The Iron Hands commander stood in the middle of the street studying the ongoing battle when Ariston ran up to him.

"Commander, I am Sergeant Ariston of the Seventh Company."

The Iron Hand's bionic eye flickered as the old marine looked him over, "Seventh company? You were reported destroyed in a fight with a Chaos cruiser."

"I fear I am the last survivor."

"I fear you are right," the commander said, How are you here, so far away from that battle?"

The marine pointed back to the dropship, "In that ship, is Rogue Trader Belmont. He found me floating in space hibernation and revived me."

"Rogue Traders. Scum of the universe. Repay your debt to the man, blood angel, but leave before his xenos tainted hide corrupts you."

With a nod, the marine leader, returned to watching the battle.

"Sir, we know why the Necrons are attacking. The settlement is using Necron tech to power this city. It is fifty meters below us."

The commander took a step forward and touched the side of his head, activating his vox, "Fangor, Rhykan, this is Achillus. The Necrons are after a power source under the city. Seek and destroy. We will evacuate the civilians until then."

"Do you need me to show them to it, sir," Ariston asked.

"No. Fangor and Rhykan are two of my best. The wolf and the raven never fail me. They will be in and out within the hour. I mean no disrespect brother, but you are not trained in the Deathwatch tactics. We cannot use you in our direct conflict."

Ariston's rage boiled over, but he maintained his composure. He understood deep down that Achillus was correct. Every chapter developed their own combat tactics. Most followed the Codex Astartes penned by the Primarch Guilliman himself. From that starting point variations grew. The Deathwatch were no different.

With the guidance of Garreth Loas, heavy weapons expert of the Deathwatch, the accuracy and efficiency of the city defense teams increased a hundred times over. The necron advance could not push into the city, as more and more of its inhabitants were evacuated.

From the heart of the enemy advance, a flying craft rose above the silver skeleton army.

Instinctively Ariston raised his bolter and fired rounds into the small vehicle. Achillus held his hand up and the blood angel instinctively held his fire. From the Iron Hand's back he pulled a huge double bladed axe, and pressed the activator rune. The weapon hummed and crackled to life in the commander's hands with a bright blue glow trailing from its blades.

"Finally," the commander said as he sprang from the small war tent and charged into battle. The commander leaped from an overturned vehicle and climbed onto the necron ship. Moments later the vehicle crashed onto the street. From the wreckage, the two combatants clashed. A green field surrounded the necron lord's halberd, deflecting the blue power axe of the Deathwatch commander. Ariston fought his urge to charge in and help the commander after recalling the leaders feelings about non Deathwatch assistance.

Aleister approached the marine, "We are ready to liftoff, Sergeant. It seems the Deathwatch and city defense have this in hand."

"It would appear so," Ariston said turning to face the Rogue Trader, they walked back toward the ship.

A large explosion rang out behind them and the two were thrown to the ground. Arison checked Captain Belmont, he was unconscious but alive. Within a few seconds Zaranda was dashing toward them. Ariston looked toward the battle and saw that the Imperial Fist and his defense team had been targeted by a close grouping of Necron destroyers. The humans were all dead, the marine lay on his back barely moving. The sergeant threw a look toward Achillus, The necron lord had wounded and disarmed him, tearing off the leader's left arm.

Ariston handed the rogue trader over to Zaranda and scrambled to the commander. As the ancient pharaoh brought his halberd down, Ariston leaped in the air, bolter aimed at the enemy leader's skull. The lord looked at the marine and his eyes flashed in a large green and white pulse. Time itself, in a small bubble around the lord, slowed. Arison floated listlessly toward the necron lord. The skeletal leader ran his halberd into the Deathwatch commander's gut, creating a terrible wound. Achilles grunted and rolled on his side in slow motion. Raising his halberd, the necron pulled his weapon back, ready to swing it at Ariston, cutting him in two.

The blood angel sergeant, fired a round at the necron, but the round was also trapped in time and would never connect. The green blades sliced the air as the moved toward Ariston, when Achillus' double blades slashed through the necron lords metal calf. Having rolled outside of the tight chronosphere bubble, the effects no longer slowed him. The time bubble burst returning the natural flow of events. Instead of bisecting ariston, the halberd removed the sergeants, left hand at the forearm. The lord collapsed onto the ground from losing his left leg under the knee. All three combatants fell into a heap. Ariston immediately blasted his bolter into the chest cavity of the lord and Achilles began pounding his remaining fist into the enemy's skull. Over and over the hits rang out. Both the skull and Achillus bionic hand breaking and deforming under the continuous strikes until the commander's hand broke off. Achillus rolled off breathing heavy. The lord's limbs flailed about wildly, a large crack open in his skull. Ariston pushed his bolter to the crack and fired, exploding the head of the leader. The ground shook violently and windows shattered all around from a high density pressure wave. Large buildings in the center of the town caught fire and crumbled from the implosion.

Ariston rolled over on the opposite side of the fallen necron lord. Within minutes the necron had vanished. With the lord defeated, the rest of the strike force faded away as well.

The Deathwatch techmarine handed Ariston a bolt pistol. "Fire at those rocks, sergeant."

Ariston lifted the pistol and let three rounds go, hitting one of the rocks.

"Insufficient," The techmarine said and began adjusting servos inside Ariston's new bionic hand.

A large metal gauntlet pressed on Ariston's shoulder. He snapped his head around to see Commander Achillus standing there.

"Takhan will have you put back together shortly, sergeant. The flesh is weak."

"Thank you, commander."

The Iron Hands commander watched as the adjustments were made, "Have you fulfilled your duty to the Rogue Trader?"

"I still owe him some more time. A couple of missions. Nothing more."

Achillus handed him a small data pad, "On this pad, you can contact me. Once your duty has been completed with Captain Belmont, get in contact with us. The Deathwatch mission is without end."

Ariston nodded and made a rare smile.

The Blood Angel stepped aboard Belmont's dropship. Once on board, Grunder punched him in the shoulder and smiled a large toothy grin.

Aleister turned around from the navigation chair, "I wasn't sure you were coming back."

"I gave you my word, Rogue Trader."

"Yeah, you did. You could have just left with them. We couldn't have stopped you."

Ariston slowly shook his head, "No, you couldn't have."


End file.
